Since 2020, Brightline Defense has worked to deliver free local air quality monitoring and access to real-time AQI for frontline communities in South of Market, the Tenderloin, Chinatown and the Bayview-Hunters Point.
During this event, Brightline will provide some insight into some of the disproportionate environmental hardships that frontline communities often face in Disadvantaged Communities within San Francisco, especially residing in an SRO (Single Room Occupancy Hotel). You can read more about SROs here to prepare for our activities. Brightline will share more about its air quality monitoring network and we’ll walk to a live sensor that is currently deployed in the Tenderloin.
This event is an SV2 Get Proximate experience with Brightline Defense (our new Grantee Partner). This event is in-person, and will be both inside and outside. We encourage you to arrive between 10:45 and 11:00 AM.
Address and Transportation:
Meet at the Brightline Defense Office in the South of Market neighborhood: 1028A Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94103.
Parking:
- Parking Garage: 22 4th St (safer) 301 6th St (closer)
- Street Parking: around Russ and Howard
Public Transit / BART:
- Civic Center BART Station and walk down 7th to get to Howard Street
- Powell BART Station and walk down 5th to get to Howard Street
Please leave all valuables at home or take them with you!
Running Agenda:
Refreshments and introductions (11:00-11:15)
Background and context of our work (11:15-12:45)
- Background on communities Brightline serves
- Personal cell phone use: explore the open data map at tinyurl.com/BrightlineAQ
- Demonstrate the emergency DIY air filter for catastrophic air quality events
- SRO Room Activity
Walk through the Tenderloin to Boeddeker Park (12:45-1:00)
Lunch (1:00-1:45 / 2:00)
Additional group activity (1:45 / 2:00 -2:45)
Walk back to the Brightline office (2:45-3:00)
Light refreshments and lunch will be provided.
To attend this event, SV2 requires that its participants:
- Are COVID vaccinated and boosted at least two weeks before the event
- Test negative for COVID within 24 hours of the event
- Stay home if you are feeling sick or are experiencing symptoms
Some folks in the community space may not be vaccinated.
Background:
Brightline Defense was recently selected as Grantee Partner in SV2’s Climate Justice Grant Round. This Get Proximate event is an initial engagement opportunity for SV2 to start to develop trust and a strong relationship with Brightline, and the San Francisco community.
Brightline is an environmental justice nonprofit organization that works to empower communities and create sustainable environments. The Brightline team blends public policy advocacy and on-the-ground partnerships to promote sustainability and opportunity in traditionally underserved communities. We promote sustainable policies ranging from local hiring to clean energy to energy efficiency.
In March 2020, Brightline began a community-driven air quality monitoring program with Central City SRO Collaborative (CCSROC) and Community Youth Center (CYC) of San Francisco. As Brightline and partners have conducted outreach on air quality issues with SRO Tenant Leaders and Youth Leaders, Brightline has now successfully sited 19 sensors, mostly concentrated in South of Market (SoMa) and the Tenderloin, but also in Chinatown and the Richmond District. One sensor is co-located with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)’s air quality monitoring station in Potrero Hill for quality control and assurance.
More information including a real-time air quality map and visualizations are here.
RSVP