Engage San Francisco's 10 Year Anniversary

Engage San Francisco (ESF) formally launched in 2014 after a 16-month planning process that included students, staff, faculty, community partners, donors, and community members.

The ESF working group determined that The Fillmore/Western Addition neighborhood would be the neighborhood that we would focus on for this “place-based’ commitment- a commitment to work long term with community members, non-profits, governmental agencies and community serving organizations to address some of the root causes of inequity that impact families. Through leveraging the research, teaching, and resources of USF, and a focus on asset-based relationships that are reciprocal and long-term, we continued listening to community and cultivating partnerships. 

Engage San Francisco was conceptualized as a university-wide initiative that is nimble and responsive to community-identified needs while we draw upon the resources of USF (brick and mortar, intellectual, and financial) to lift up the assets and strengths of Western Addition community members and community-based organizations. This requires us to be interdisciplinary in how we address community challenges; humble and responsive in our approach and decentralized as we cultivate partnerships throughout the university and community. We work with faculty, staff, students and community to identify existing and potential points of collaboration that connect with research, coursework and co-curricular opportunities for students as we leverage USF’s resources to amplify community capacity and support the vision, programming and long term success of the Western Addition community. 

Vision & Goals

Engage San Francisco is an intentional, systematic and transformative university-community initiative that will achieve community-identified outcomes supporting children, youth and families in the Western Addition neighborhood. This will be achieved through student learning, research and teaching consistent with USF’s Mission, and Vision 2028.
 
Engage San Francisco has two key goals:

  1. Contribute to and support a vibrant, thriving community for children, youth and families and the Western Addition.
  2.  Enhance student learning and faculty research in the Jesuit tradition with key connections to the University of San Francisco’s Mission and Vision 2028.

Our areas of focus have evolved to include: 

  • Learning, College Access, Literacy
  • Partnership Capacity, Health
  • African American Histories and Knowledge

Our History

  • Planning grant received from donors
  • Review of best practices in university-community partnerships and benchmarking of national examples of place-based initiatives
  • Conversations with McCarthy Center Steering committee, faculty, administrators, and the USF Board of Trustees Academic Committee
  • Visit to Seattle University Youth Initiative (SUYI) with SUYI staff, Father Privett and Seattle University President Fr. Sundborg; meeting with Santa Clara University Ignatian Center Staff
  • Community visioning meeting to document community needs and community vision
  • Pilot campus-community grant projects in 2012-2013 
    • Transitional Age Youth Project
    • San Francisco Immigrant Legal and Education Network (SFILEN) Community Survey
    • Human Services Network (HSN) Human Service Provider Survey and Report
    • Community-Based Research project
    • Summer Reading Program partnership: USF Reading Certificate Program and Mo’MAGIC Summer Reading program
    • Improving Health and Safety in the School Environment

Working group continues to meet

  • December 2013, 3-year grant received to launch Engage San Francisco
  • After 16 month planning process with a working group, Spring 2014 Implementation begins
  • Spring 2014 Director position created and filled
  • Community Engagement grants program initiated and launched in Spring
  • Equitable College Access: Professor Christine Yeh via and USF School Counseling students assist all Wallenberg high school seniors to complete CSU, UC and/ or  community college applications
  • Community Engagement Grant Recipients 2014 
  • USF becomes a dues paying member of Mo’MAGIC
  • Community Engagement grants reception (October 2014)
  • USF Clinical Psychology professor Dr. Dhara Meghani plans and implements the USF Parent Line, which offers support to parents of young children who seek support. The hotline is staffed by Psy.D. students and promoted citywide, including via Mo’MAGIC meetings
  • Summer 2015 Everybody Reads! Family Handbook produced by Mo’MAGIC with books selections and lesson plans by School of Education faculty Dr. Helen Maniates and Visiting Professor Dr. Isabel Nuñez, and coordinated by Sheryl Davis
  • Western Addition community walks begin for students, faculty, staff and ESF supporters. On average 4 walks continue to happen per year.
  • McCarthy Center Director and Associate Professor of Politics Corey Cook presents Western Addition data to Mo’MAGIC collaborative
  • SONHP Mobile Health Clinics begin on site in Western Addition, largely in partnership with community events
  • Fall 2015, USF hosts the annual Place Based Justice Network gathering (42 staff and faculty from 12 universities)
  • Esther Madríz Scholars and Professor Stephanie Sears begin partnership with Ms. Altheda Carrie and Ms. Lynette White on the Changemakers biography project, documenting the stories of African American leaders depicted on the mural outside of Ella Hill Hutch
  • Karin Cotterman and Leslie Lombre present to Mo’MAGIC on grant writing
  • In an effort to increase the capacity of USF to respond to community-identified needs, reflecting on whiteness workshops (and associated research) for students, faculty and staff were developed by Dr. Michelle Montagno, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and Karin Cotterman (2015-ongoing).
  • Presentation to USF Board of Trustees about ESF
  • Community Engagement Grant Recipients 2015
    • Xóchitl Justice Books: A University of San Francisco/ Prince Hall Community Partnership, School of Education & Prince Hall Computer Learning Center, Western Addition (books written by children are published in May 2016)
    • The Power of Poetry: We Are All Poets and Up On Top Arts Education Program
  • Up On Top, We Are All Poets & USF MFA program
    • Cultivating Food and Community in Western Addition’s New Liberation Community Garden, Community Grows & USF’s Urban Agriculture Department
    • Building Capacity and Preventing Summer Learning Loss, USF School of Education & Booker T. Community Center
    • Law Enforcement, Race and Justice: Healing and Working Circles, USF School of Law & San Francisco District Attorney’s office  
  • January 2016  Super Bowl 50 Grant received ($200,000) to support behavioral health for Western Addition youth
  • January 2016 Legacy Funds received from dissolved SFRBI literacy non-profit ($750,000) to support literacy programming in local schools
  • 3.9 Collective/ Hiraeth Closing Reception features artist Rodney Ewing in conversation with Professor Rhonda Magee
  • Professor of Law Rhonda Magee presents a 45 minute Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction session to Mo’MAGIC as part of health and wellness event for service providers
  • Community Asset Mapping completed
  • Summer 2016 Youth Health Alliance Coordinator hired (Nolizwe Nondabula)
  • Summer 2016 Girls Coding Camp reached out to Western Addition youth via community partners to recruit youth for coding summer camp 
  • Summer 2016 SONHP partners with annual Western Addition health fair & backpack giveaway
  • New staff onboarded
  • Community Engaged Grants paused for revision
  • Martín-Baró Scholars join the Esther Madríz Scholars on the Changemakers project
  • Professor of Law Rhonda Magee teaches a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course for 7 weeks for community members and community partners
  • February 2017 Engage San Francisco Partnership Breakfast
  • February 2017 Western Addition Community night at USF Men’s Basketball game: 500 attendees- Annual event begins
  • Tutoring program at Cobb elementary piloted Spring semester 2017
  • Literacy, the Environment & Assessments developed as course for literacy interns
  • Pre-and post assessments of USF student literacy interns administered during Spring semester
  • ½ time Program Assistant position created
  • Mind, Body & Soul pop up clinics piloted in Western Addition 
  • Summer 2017) Second VISTA, Michael Anderson, joins ESF and works 4 days at Success Center SF and 1 day at USF
  • Summer 2017 Girls Coding Camp reached out to Western Addition youth via community partners to recruit youth for coding summer camp
  • Summer 2017 SONHP continues partnership with annual Western Addition health fair & backpack giveaway
  • 3 Mind, Body and Soul pop up clinics take place in Spring and summer
  • ESF Community Partnership award created and awarded to partners of the Summer Reading program: Magic Zone, Prince Hall and Booker T. Washington Community Service Center.
  • (Fall) 2017 Tutoring program at Cobb continues and expands to include Pre-K class, all Cobb classes are connected with literacy tutors
  • Martín-Baró Scholars Program and Professor David Holler continue with Changemakers biography project, documenting the stories of African American leaders depicted on the mural outside of Ella Hill Hutch
  • Summer 2017 SONHP continues partnership with annual Western Addition health fair & backpack giveaway
  • Fall Local Immersion: Camphora and Western Addition course developed in SONHP Co-Taught by Nolizwe Nondabula.
  • ESF Community Partner Awardees: Ms. Altheda Carrie; Ms. Brenda Harris; Mrs. Lynnette White
  • VISTA with Success Centers of San Francisco Michael Anderson

Summer 2018

Summer 2018 Magic Zone at USF (MZ@USF)

  • “Magic Zone @ USF” a summer reading program for students in grades 6-8 who are attending summer enrichment programs affiliated with Collective Impact (Magic Zone, Booker T. Washington CSC, and Prince Hall Learning Center).  
  • Summer 2018 Diversity & Democracy essay
  • Changemakers coloring book
  • VISTA with Success Centers of San Francisco
  • Fall (Sept) Changemakers Launch party
  • Tutoring transitions into the ESF Literacy program. Sites are Cobb, Rosa Parks, Prince Hall Learning Center, Magic Zone and Booker T. Washington. 
  • In December 2019 we hosted 24 colleagues from across the US for the Place Based Justice Network.

Community Partnership Innovation Fund

Congratulations to the 2020 Community Partnership Innovation Fund (CPIF) recipients. We celebrate your partnerships and your collaborative work together. This year’s recipients are:

  • "Jonestown Atonement 2020" submitted by USF student Ms. Jada Curry, Dr. James Taylor of USF's Politics Department, and Mr. Jameel Rasheed Patterson of New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF)
  • ·"Parent & Family Partnerships in School-based Restorative Practices" submitted by Ms. Teresa Arriaga of Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco (PPS-SF) and Dr. Lisa De La Rue of USF's Counseling Psychology Department

  •  

    "Entrepreneurship in a Nutshell" submitted by Ms. Liz Jackson-Simpson of the Success Centers and Ms. Vivian Faustino-Pulliam of USF's School of Management

LTMC anti-racist statement

SF Changemakers

  • Changemakers Launch party in fall at Ella Hill Hutch Community Center. Over 200 people attended. 
  • ESF Literacy program now includes William Cobb elementary,  Rosa Parks elementary, Prince Hall Learning Center, Magic Zone and Booker T. Washington Community Service Center. 
  • In December 2019 we hosted 24 colleagues from across the US for the Place Based Justice Network.  
  • Community Partnership Innovation Fund (CPIF) recipients were: 
  •  "Jonestown Atonement 2020" submitted by USF student Ms. Jada Curry, Dr. James Taylor of USF's Politics Department, and Mr. Jameel Rasheed Patterson of New Community Leadership Foundation (NCLF)
  • · "Parent & Family Partnerships in School-based Restorative Practices" submitted by Ms. Teresa Arriaga of Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco (PPS-SF) and Dr. Lisa De La Rue of USF's Counseling Psychology Department
  • "Entrepreneurship in a Nutshell" submitted by Ms. Liz Jackson-Simpson of the Success Centers and Ms. Vivian Faustino-Pulliam of USF's School of Management
  • 2020 ESF Community Partner Awardees - SFUSD literacy partnership co-educators
  • Remi Nakamoto, Literacy Coordinator, Rosa Parks Elementary
  • Megan Stoltz, Literacy Coach, William Cobb Elementary
  • Spring Covid shut down; ESF literacy pivots to online tutoring 
  • LTMC anti-racist statement published: https://usfblogs.usfca.edu/mccarthy/2020/07/02/our-commitment-to-an-anti-racist-center/
  • Online Changemakers book published: https://usfblogs.usfca.edu/sfchangemakers/
  •  Covid shut down results in reduced staff for ESF and reduced programmatic offerings.
  • Covid shut down continues and online literacy expands to include online support though SFUSD after school partnerships. Students continue to be employed as tutors through online 1:1 and small group work. 
  • ESF staff offer tech support for partners and when possible deliver resources to staff or families. 
  • Literacy Program Manager Dresden Frazier Smith pilots new Cultural Humility Curriculum as part of revised Tutor Preparation program. This curriculum centers cultural humility, antiracism, and love as an act of social justice in the work of tutors. 
  • Some tutors offered arts-based workshops for children that invited reflecting on events of 2020.
  • An online community speaker series included knowledge and expertise from Dr. Sheryl Davis, Executive Director of the Human Rights Commission and Darren Kawaii, Principal of Rosa Parks Elementary. 
  • Looking toward 2021-22, partner sites requested a doubling of the number of tutors that we provided, with a desire that we provide a total of 80 tutors, rather than 25.
  • Community Activist Researchers launched summer 2021
    The Community Research Collaborative (CRC)is a partnership between the McCarthy Center, Collective Impact, and Rise for Racial Justice that provides Black San Franciscans the research opportunity to study endemic racism and the pathways to improve social and economic outcomes through anti-racist education and research training. Dr. Colette Cann, Associate Dean of the USF School of Education directs this project. 
  • 2022 - ESF Community Partner award: 
    • Community Research Collaborative Partner James Spignola, Executive Director, Collective Impact
  • ESF Staff publications and presentations: 
    “Critical Hope in Leadership,” in Pigza, J. M., Owen, J. E., & Associates (Eds.) (2021). Women and leadership development in college: A facilitation resource. Sterling, VA: Stylus.  Co-authored with Nolizwe Nondabula. Invited submission.

Community Activist Researchers cohort 1 continues and cohort 2 is recruited. 

    Cohort 2 focused on preparing, supporting, and empowering students to conduct community activist research. 

Cohort 1 students built on their learning to implement their research. This included conducting focus groups, transcribing and analyzing data, articulating findings, and working toward developing their action plans. Much of the work this year was done collaboratively with students acting as research assistants for each other’s projects.

  • 2023 - ESF Community Partner award: 
    • 2023: Miss Miriam Desmukes, Director, Prince Hall Learning Center 
  • Tutors on site again full time as schools and afterschool programs re-open to the public. 
  • Changemakers book panel and discussion at SFPL, co-hosted by African American Center and Librarian Shawna Sherman
  • ESF Staff publications and presentations: 
    • “Engage San Francisco: USF Honors the Legacy of Black San Francisco,” (April 2023). In Connections Magazine. Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. Invited Article.
    • “Considering Rest as Resistance: Balancing care for the self and care for the community,” Western Regions Continuums of Service Conference.  
    • “The intersection of inner work and community work: Building capacity for white anti-racist practice and collaboration” Community Conversation; Western Region Continuums of Service Conference. 
    • “Network of Networks (NON) – Coalitions, Alliances, and Partnerships for Activism in Higher Education,” American Association of Colleges and Universities. 
    • “Literacy For and With Community: Cultural humility and addressing anti-Blackness while preparing student tutors,” Coalition for Urban and Metropolitan Colleges and Universities. October 2022. Dresden June Frazier and Carla Bereniece Trujillo.
  • Panel Presentation: Cultural Humility and Literacy of Place with The Fillmore, at KQED's fifth annual Night of Ideas. Our participants — including USF's Engage Literacy manager Dresden Fraizer-Smith, community organizer and USF alum Jada Curry, community partner Michael White of Mo Magic / Collective Impact, and faculty and collaborators from USF's School of Education including Dr. Onllwyn Dixon, Dr. Collette Cann, and Gertrude Jenkins — spoke to a select audience from the 10,000 total attendees who heard how the role of place, cultural humility, and creating pro-Black spaces support literacy education.
  • Tutor preparation continually revised and expanded
  • Community Activist Researchers (CAR) Dr. Colette Cann, Associate Dean in School of Education, continued the third year of the Community Research Institute, run through the Rise for Racial Justice Center (USF) This program is funded by SFgov Dream Keeper Initiative Funding, and Rise is a subgrantee of Collective Impact. Launched in 2021, the Community Activist Researchers teaches Black San Franciscans researching skills so that they can develop and implement research in their own communities based on research questions they have. The curriculum has evolved to build out participant skills year by year. Researchers can participate for 1, 2 or 3 years. Year 1 curriculum: race theory; research methodologies used with Black communities; developing research proposals. Year 2 curriculum: Understanding ethical research; how to describe your research; understanding interviews and focus groups; research grant application process; completing a research plan. Year 3 curriculum: Research implementation, writing and presentation. Colette and her team have three cohorts enrolled in the research training program: Cohort 1 began in 2021-22. 14 students completed year 1. 4 students are continuing this third year and are each in the process of collecting, analyzing or reading literature related to their research topic. 3 of these researchers will co-author a book chapter in 2024, 2 were accepted to present a conference in fall and 3 researchers are now instructors or teaching assistants with the program. 2 researchers have applied to attend USF to continue their education. Cohort 2 began in 2022-2023. 24 participants completed year one and developed research proposals; 8 participants continued this year with the year 2 curriculum. 3 of the training researchers from this cohort have applied for continuing education at USF. Cohort 3 began in 2023-2024. 14 participants joined the program in fall ‘23 and completed the year 1 curriculum. 

In the words of Colette, “The research training program has effectively sparked a movement of change within the community, highlighting the importance of fostering a vibrant and engaged local community. By providing a platform for scholars to share real-life stories and experiences, the program has become a powerful vehicle for expressing the authentic voices of Black individuals in neighborhoods across San Francisco, amplifying the significance of community narratives and contributions.”(Cann, 2nd Quarter Narrative Report to OEWD, January 2024). 

  • 10 Years of ESF celebrated in Spring 2024
  • ESF Community Partner Award: Michael White of Magic Zone after School Program 
  • Western Addition resource page, curated by Gleeson Librarian Carole Spector since 2016 continues to evolve. 
  • ESF Staff publications and presentations: 
    • "Implementing Rest as Resistance: Balancing care for students, community, and self" (2024). In Metropolitan Universities Journal: Special Issue Place Justice Network. Dresden June Smith and Karin M. Cotterman. 
    • “Addressing Anti-Blackness through Place-Based Work.” (Fall 2023). In Anti-Racist Community Engagement: Principles and Practices, Campus Compact/Stylus. Dresden June Smith and Carla Berenice Trujillo, and KArin M. Cotterman.  ed. Santana, C., Garcia-Guevara, A., Krupczynski, J., Lynch, C., Reiff, J., Risam, R., Vincent, C., Ward, E. Campus Compact/Stylus-Routledge. Book Chapter.
    • “Addressing Anti-Blackness through Place-Based Work.” Campus Compact 24, Denver, CO. 
    •  “Addressing Anti-Blackness through Place-Based Work.” Campus Compact Anti-Racist Community Engagement Publication Symposium.  
    • “Considering Rest as Resistance: Balancing care for the self and care for the community,” Gonzaga University Professional Development Workshop.  
    • “Considering Rest as Resistance: Balancing care for the self and care for the community,” Place-Based Justice Network Institute.

In the Community