Eddie Zhang tells oversight board trust‑based philanthropy and cultural 'chi' aid reentry; cites $10M fund and $6.9M distributed

Eddie Zhang, founder of the New Birth Foundation, told the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board that culturally grounded healing and “trust‑based philanthropy” are central to helping people return from incarceration and to reducing recidivism. Zhang spoke during the board’s regular meeting and led the room in a short breathing exercise before his presentation.

Zhang said his organization launched the We Got Us Fund in 2021 “which is a $10,000,000 distribution fund” and that the foundation has distributed $6,900,000 of that total to 28 organizations across the country. He described trust‑based philanthropy as giving general operating support and taking responsibility for reporting requirements so grassroots groups can focus on service delivery.

The presentation framed chi as culture, history and identity. Zhang said reconnecting people with their culture and history helps them understand trauma and creates a sense of belonging that supports rehabilitation. He described a program called Roots (Restoring Our Original True Self) that exposes incarcerated people to cultural history and trauma‑informed learning.

Zhang detailed his personal history as context for the work: he described being charged as an adult at 16, serving 19 years in state prison and spending 11 months in solitary confinement after advocating for ethnic studies while incarcerated. He said he later spent time in Yuba County jail under ICE supervision after release, pursued habeas and post‑conviction relief, won in the Ninth Circuit, received a governor’s pardon and regained legal residency and, eventually, citizenship.

He raised deportation as an ongoing harm for many Southeast Asian and other immigrant communities, citing a recent example in which “67 Hmong, Minh, and Laos folks were deported to Laos” and describing a 2019 listening tour to Cambodia that included intake for about 90 deported individuals. Zhang recounted one case in which a man deported from Fresno was later found to be a naturalized citizen and was reunited with his family after legal review.

Board members asked how Zhang’s work connects to the sheriff’s office. Ortiz asked whether Zhang is involved in trauma‑informed trainings with the sheriff’s department; Zhang said his prior work included reviewing RFPs for sheriff contracts, speaking inside jails, and program partnerships such as a Bayview branch with the Community Youth Center (CYC). He also said philanthropic investments should include coaching, evaluation and healing support in addition to cash grants.

Zhang acknowledged abolition as a long‑term vision but emphasized interim steps such as improving counseling, hiring trauma‑informed staff and creating humane detention practices. “As long as we are breathing, there is always hope, and there’s always opportunities to heal,” he said.

The presentation concluded without public comment. Board members thanked Zhang and noted the relevance of his recommendations as the board considers oversight priorities and recruitment for an inspector general.