May 2025 eNews

Dear SDA community,

Spring is here and the days are getting longer. As we continue to face attacks on our communities, our right to protest, and the resources we need to survive, now is a time to turn towards each other and keep taking action for justice. Our coalition work proves to be a crucial piece of our organizing right now, as we join with groups like Bay Resistance, the Long-Term Services & Supports For All Grassroots Coalition (LTSS4All), the Transit Justice Coalition, and other allies, to further our campaigns around Medicaid Defense, Muni funding, and much more.

Some highlights of the last month are pictured below, including our longtime Transit Justice team member Tina Martin speaking at a rally for safety from traffic crashes last week, and the start of our Senior and Disability Survival School at the Mary Helen Rogers Senior Community. Budget season is also in full swing in San Francisco, and will be the focus of our May General Meeting this Thursday May 8, 10am to 12pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in SF and on Zoom. We will hear from guest speakers from the California Budget and Policy Center and the People’s Budget Coalition. Please join us! Details and Zoom information will be sent out separately, but please email grace@sdaction.org if you haven’t received it and would like to join.

Read on for more updates on our work and how you can plug into organizing opportunities and events in May. We’ve also updated our Surviving and Resisting Fascism page, especially given the recent and ongoing attacks on autistic people. Go there for further resources and action opportunities!

SDA News & Updates

Join our Member Orientation this Thursday, May 8!

During these difficult times, we must join together to fight for the world we want to live in. Right now, SDA is active in campaigns to protect Medicaid, fight for a fully funded public transit system in SF, affirm our right to mask, and so much more. If you're looking for a political home, or want to get further involved in senior and disability organizing in the Bay Area, please join us to learn more about SDA — our values, our history, and our campaigns.

Our May orientation session is on Thursday, May 8, 5:30 to 7pm on Zoom. RSVP to the orientation here. Please email grace@sdaction.org if you have any questions.

Remembering David Williams

SDA continues to mourn the loss of longtime member, former Peer Advocate, and celebrated local activist David Williams.

SDA's Ligia Montano has written a beautiful tribute to David, with input from others who have worked with him over the years. Read our memorial to David here.

Our CommUNITY Celebration is coming! Save the date for August 14

SDA’s Annual CommUNITY Celebration will be Thursday, August 14, 6 to 8pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church (1187 Franklin St, SF). The event will include a variety show, celebrating our communities and collective resistance as we raise money to support our ongoing organizing and education work.

Find more CommUNITY Celebration info and sponsorship opportunities on our website! Individual tickets and volunteer opportunities will be coming later this month.

SDA’s Re-Organization

Following the departure of our founding Executive Director, Jessica Lehman, SDA has been experiencing a period of transition. Transitions and executive searches are inherently expensive, and this period led to a severe structural budget deficit. SDA was looking at a substantial loss for 2025 if measures were not taken.

Within that context, the incoming Executive Director, Erik Greenfrost, rapidly evaluated SDA’s finances, considered the current structural challenges, and created a re-organization proposal. Over the last two months it has been vetted by the Board of Directors, negotiated with the unionized staff through OPEIU Local 29, and presented to the SDA Membership.

We are excited to announce the transition to this updated structure, which will support not only the work we are doing now, but an expansion of the work that we want to do in the future —  work that is becoming even more important and necessary within the current political climate.  While our whole staff will continue to be involved with organizing and empowering our members and communities, SDA will now have three inter-connected Departments: Development and Operations, Organizing, and Education and Partnerships.  Each Department will have a Director, who together with the Executive Director will form the Leadership Team.

To help answer questions you may have, we have created a Reorganization Q&A document (and will add to it as other questions arise).

Muni Now Muni Forever Campaign

SDA is one of the founding members of Muni Now Muni Forever, a coalition of transit advocates committed to ensuring that Muni is meeting the needs of our community now and forever. Our primary goal is to prevent service cuts, which can dramatically decrease seniors and disabled people’s mobility. Unfortunately, despite our coalition’s tireless efforts, more service cuts are coming this summer. That means longer wait times for your bus, more crowded buses, fewer seats for those that need them, and some lines are getting shortened, especially on Market street, which means people will have to transfer buses.

Thank you to our members that came to speak at SFMTA Board of Directors meetings.

The fight to fully fund Muni and prevent service cuts is far from over. We will be having volunteer orientations for Muni Now Muni Forever soon, so stay on the lookout in your inbox. If you have not signed up for Muni Forever alerts on the campaign, please do, so you can be the first to hear about our upcoming events.

Medicaid Defense Updates & Opportunities

Medicaid continues to face attacks at the federal level through the budget reconciliation process, as Republican leadership attempts to provide trillions of dollars of tax breaks for the wealthiest in the country. They also aim to increase funding for the deportation machine, and pay for it all with cuts to social services, such as Medicaid and Social Security. At SDA, we’re very concerned about these threats and are active as part of the LTSS4All Coalition to fight against cuts to Medicaid. Learn more about what’s going on with Medicaid and how to get involved here.

Member Spotlight: Emily Posk

Tell us a little bit about yourself! How long have you been involved with SDA and what have you been working on? What drew you to organizing with SDA?

I was following SDA from about 2023. I was unable to join due to my work schedule at the time. I began attending Masked Meetups in June 2024 as it was nice to be in community with other people who were trying to be cautious about COVID. 

I have been advocating about the need for masks in health care as my 92 year old mother is very high risk. I feel we should protect high risk patients. I also am fighting against mask bans as people have a right to protect their health.

What kinds of campaigns would you like to work on in the future at SDA? What do you want us to win in the next few years?

Healthcare related issues and accessibility.

What do you like to do for fun? What do you wish more people knew about you?

I enjoy photography and crafts. I really enjoy being in nature.

Community Resource Corner

Never Better Elders Resource Fair – May 15, 1 to 4pm

SDA will have a table at the Never Better Elders resource fair on Wednesday, May 15, 1 to 4pm, organized by our friends at Community Living Campaign. Come say hi and check out the other resources, or try out one of their tech help sessions or mini classes! The event will be located at the SF County Fair Building, at 9th Ave and Lincoln Way.

Image Description: A flyer with images of smiling elders. Text reads: Never Better Elders, May 15th from 1pm to 4pm. You’re invited! Join us for FREE to: meet your neighbors, enjoy live music & dance performances, keep learning, enter to win exciting prizes! Over 25 citywide resources. Find info on healthy aging, housing, arts, advocacy, legal aid, lifelong learning, emergency preparedness, senior services, and more. Educational programs: healthy aging with UCSF brain health and the Alzheimer’s association, and zero waste with Recology. Tech help and mini classes: our trainers are ready to help in English and Chinese. Bring your cell phone, tablet, and other text questions! Join us at the SF County Fair Building: 9th Avenue at Lincoln Way. Muni: 7, 44 & N-Judah. Parking on street or paid at the GG Park Garage. For more information contact: Patti Davidson, patti@sfcommunityliving.org 415-821-1003, ext. 106. Below are logos for Community Living Campaign, SF Department of Disability and Aging Services, Neighbor to Neighbor, and California Volunteers.

MNC Inspiring Success Community Service Fair – May 15, 10am to 12pm

Another resource fair on May 15! Our Peer Advocates will have a table at the MNC Inspiring Success Community Service Fair at 362 Capp Street, SF. Come by and say hello to the team and check out other neighborhood resources!

Resources on Palestine and Disability

SDA continues to stand in support of Palestinians and call for an immediate end to the genocide Israel is inflicting on Palestinian people and their land. Go to our website for some resources on disability and Palestine and opportunities to support. If you know of other resources or action opportunities to share, please let us know!