Linda Mihara will be speaking at this event on behalf of the businesses in Japan Town as requested by Mayor London Breed's Office.  The following is a press release detailing the event.

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Calla Rongerude, Campaign Manager, Open to All calla@opentoall.com | 415.205.2420

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San Francisco Becomes First Official City to Join Nationwide ‘Open to All’ Campaign

Businesses and Elected Officials Across San Francisco Pledge to Take a Stand Against Discrimination

(San Francisco, March 12, 2019)—Today, the city of San Francisco became the first official city to become Open to All, pledging to welcome everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or disability. Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Mandelman announced via an official proclamation that the city was joining the national public education campaign to build understanding and discussion about the importance of protecting people from discrimination—and the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All.

To commemorate the occasion, Mayor Breed and Supervisor Mandelman hosted a kick-off event in Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro District of San Francisco featuring elected officials from across the city, community leaders, and business owners who have signed the Open to All business pledge, including the San Francisco-based company Yelp. Last summer, Yelp introduced a new attribute allowing businesses to distinguish themselves as a safe and welcoming place to everyone by checking the ‘Open to All’ box on their business profile pages.

Quote from Mayor Breed. Call to action: Follow our lead, join us!

Open to All is a public education campaign that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the non-profit sector to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality. In addition to Yelp, Gap Inc., Marriott International Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, as well as more than 3,000 small businesses and 200 nonprofits, Open to All includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBT equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more. Open to All members are committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All.

“By joining Open to All, the City of San Francisco is once again proving to be a leader in diversity and inclusion,” said Open to All Campaign Manager Calla Rongerude. “Civic and businesses leaders are committing to make residents and visitors alike feel safe and welcome regardless of who they are.”

As part of the launch, the Open to All campaign, in partnership with the City of San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the San Francisco Department of Transgender Initiatives, and the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Association announced that businesses corridors in all eleven supervisorial districts are signing the Open to All business pledge and joining the effort. Businesses who take the Open to All business pledge are featured publicly on the Open to All website.

Quote from Small Business

Mayor Breed and Supervisor Mandelman joined ### elected officials across the city to support Open to All. In addition, Supervisor Mandelman encouraged his fellow supervisors to vote to approve a resolution declaring San Francisco is Open to All at tonight’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting.

Quote from Supervisor Mandelman

Businesses can sign the pledge at http://www.opentoall.com/business-pledge/.

For more information about the San Francisco kick-off event, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1003564413100565/. 

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