Policy, Systems, Environments Action Team (PSEAT)

2024 Policy Agenda

1. Improve Nutrition Security and Water Access
2. Ensure Equitable Access to Opportunities for Recreation and Safe Transportation
3. Support Sustainable Funding for Prevention and Wellness

On November 17, 2022, Shape Up SF’s PSEAT hosted a virtual panel of community advocates who have successfully secured nearly $2.5M over 2 years through the city’s addback process. Watch the recording.

Panelists:

• Jennifer Navarro-Marroquin is co-founder of Community Well, Shape Up SF Coalition Co-chair and has over 15 years of experience as a business owner. She currently has a Prosperity Coaching and Financial Services business and weaves both financial education and holistic arts together to help many individuals return to their natural state of happiness and fulfillment. 
• John McCormick is the program manager of TNDC Healthy Retail and has been a part of the TNDC family since 2016. He started at TNDC as a volunteer in the Tenderloin People’s Garden and became the manager of Healthy Retail in 2020. Before his time at TNDC, John spent a decade working in restaurants as a cook, waiter, and a bus boy. John holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a masters degree in nonprofit administration.
• Naeemah Charles is the Director of Public Policy Communications for Children’s Council of San Francisco since 2020. Naeemah is a political veteran with experience in public policy, public speaking, grassroots organizing, and issue-based campaigns.  

Meeting Resources

• View the slides
• Evaluation
• D11 Mental Health Research Report
• D11 Mental Health Budget Proposal
• Community Well Addback Presentation
• Watch an interview with Christina Goette, SFDPH and Jamie Stark, Farming Hope, about the addback process 

Shape Up SF’s PSEAT hosted this virtual training for Matthias Mormino from the Budget Justice Coalition to explain the City’s budget process and how to be more influential, effective, advocates for your organization and community. View slides. Watch the training.

Key takeaways:

• The budget is a document and process that happens year-round.
• San Francisco has a $14B budget. In your advocacy efforts, do not be discouraged by statements like “we don’t have the funds.”
• While $14B is a large number, the discretionary portion is $5B – still a lot!
• The budget process is a dance between the executive branch, legislative branch, and the public. Each has an important role to play.

Matthias Mormino – As Chief of Staff for Chinatown CDC, Matthias is tasked with creating better internal alignment, streamlining, and reducing barriers to decision making while being focused on follow through and moving issues to completion. Matthias grew up in Europe and worked on the issue of globalization and how communities across the world can unite to stand up to unfair and oppressive economic policies. Matthias started his career at Chinatown CDC working with SRO Families across the city to demand access to city services and more housing opportunities. Ever since starting his nonprofit career in San Francisco, Matthias has been involved in the City Budget, from an advocacy standpoint to working at City Hall on the Budget to being a trainer and a former co-chair for the Budget Justice coalition. Matthias holds a B.A. in Russian literature and culture from the University of Perugia and a M.A. in Ethical Finance from the University of Ferrara.

Former PSEAT Co-Chair, Blythe Young of the American Heart Association gave a brief Advocacy 101 training in preparation for annual meetings with SF policymakers. Learn the difference between advocacy and lobbying, and steps to policy change. View Slides (PDF). Watch the training.